A new law paving the way for the scrapping of the 32-million-a-year passenger cap at Dublin Airport could be enacted before the Dáil’s summer recess after the publication of the proposed legislation was approved by Cabinet.The Bill also provides that a passenger cap cannot be imposed on Dublin Airport by a planning authority in the future.Airlines and the State airports company DAA have been urging the Government to end the cap before an EU court ruling forces regulators to implement it, severely cutting flights at the country’s biggest gateway.Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said in a statement on Tuesday that he had secured Government approval to publish the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026 and progress it to enactment as soon as possible. He said the legislation would give him “the power to address the 32-million-passenger cap” at Dublin Airport. O’Brien said: “This Government recognises the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as our primary international gateway, and the vital role it plays in supporting economic growth, connectivity and jobs across the State.”He added: “The Bill will now be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas to follow the parliamentary process through to enactment, which I am hopeful of concluding before the summer recess.”O’Brien said he was “committed to ensuring that the legislation is enacted this summer, that the necessary environmental assessments are completed within the strict timelines set out in the Bill, and that an order is made to amend or revoke the passenger cap as soon as possible. “I am equally committed to ensuring the continued growth of the airport is delivered in a sustainable and balanced way, and that DAA continues to act as a good neighbour,” he added.DAA welcomed the move, with deputy chief executive Nick Cole describing it as hugely important for Ireland. “The proposed legislation rightly recognises Dublin Airport’s role in supporting economic growth, connectivity and jobs across the State, and we welcome the Minister’s stated intention to enact the legislation before the summer recess,” he said. Business group Ibec welcomed the development Aidan Sweeney, its head of infrastructure and environmental sustainability, said: “The economic contribution of Dublin Airport and the pivotal role it plays in empowering Irish business cannot be overstated.” He also said: “Our economic competitiveness is underpinned by a dynamic and resilient airport ecosystem, which includes growing Dublin as a global hub.“For Dublin Airport to meet its projected and State-mandated economic, connectivity and sustainability goals, it will be vital that it is permitted to grow in a managed and sustainable manner”Sweeney added: “We are calling for speedy legislative passage through the Houses of the Oireachtas. It is deeply important that the legislation is passed in a matter of weeks, so that action to address the passenger cap can commence in earnest.”Under the Bill, the Minister will engage with An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP), which will carry out any relevant environmental assessments required under EU law in advance of making an order to amend or revoke the passenger cap. ACP will undertake a public consultation as part of this assessment process, and O’Brien the Department of Transport “will take the outcome of those assessments into account when making an order”.The progression of a live infrastructure application from the DAA, which is currently being assessed by Fingal County Council and is being progressed in parallel with the Bill, is said to be “a key aspect”.The department said: “This planning application seeks permission to raise the passenger cap and to develop several capacity-enhancing projects, including new piers and aircraft stands, along with a new integrated transport hub. “Together, these measures will provide the infrastructure required to facilitate Ireland’s ambitious hub strategy for the airport, and will facilitate growth in both passenger and cargo traffic in line with airline strategies and market demand.”The statement added that the approach set out in the Bill would “facilitate the sustainable development of Dublin Airport by ensuring compliance with applicable EU law, while balancing the rights of local residents with the objectives of Ireland’s national aviation policy and the needs of business and tourism”.The Government pledged to remove the cap, following consultation with all stakeholders, when it took office early last year.High Court action by airlines stalled the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) from implementing the cap by taking account of it when deciding the conditions for allocating take-off and landing slots at Dublin Airport.The court stayed the authority from taking this step when it referred several questions of EU law to the European courts in late 2024.The EU Court of Justice is set to rule on those questions in coming months. A likely finding that the IAA should take the cap into account when allocating slots would force its implementation.Unless the legislation is passed in the meantime, airlines say that the European court ruling would result in the loss of flights and traffic at Dublin, which handled more than 36 million passengers last year.